The present invention relates to water soluble extracts of certain red algae, and more particularly to the water soluble extract of the alga Turnerella mertensiana and related species of algae, and to the processes for producing an aqueous extract from the algae, as well as processes for administering the water soluble extract for the treatment of certain viral infections attributable to herpes simplex virus, type 1 and type 2 and herpes zoster.
It has been suggested that certain marine red algae found off the California coast have some inhibiting activity on the replication of types 1 and 2 herpes simplex virus (hereinafter referred to as the herpes virus). See, for example, the articles by Ehresmann, D. W., et al., "Inhibition of Herpesvirus Replication by Marine Algae Extracts," Anti-microbial Agents and Chemotherapy, Vol. 6, No. 1, October, 1974, pp. 524 and 525, and "Antiviral Substances from California Marine Algae," J. Phycol., Vol. 13, pp. 37-40, 1977.
Although the antiviral activity of such marine red algae has been noted in literature, the antiviral activity of such algae has proven to be of limited efficacy for the inhibition of replication of the herpes virus. For instance, there has been no demonstrated effectiveness of such algae against vesicular stomatitis or for relief of pain. Studies have indicated that other marine flora and fauna may also have antiviral activity. Prior to the present discovery, however, no readily available, simply processible and usable antiviral agent has been discovered that yields a very high degree of antiviral activity with respect to the herpes virus or that relieves pain.